1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to cable strain relief brackets. More particularly, the present invention relates to cable strain relief brackets for use with conventional and modular furniture walls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the modernization of the office, small partitioned spaces, using modular furniture or cubicles, have become an efficient means to maximize office space and employee production. Cubicles may be arbitrarily set up and removed depending on the needs of the office. The modular furniture walls that comprise boundaries of the cubicle typically have port openings that allow for connection for items utilizing copper wire and/or optical fibers. These port openings receive cables that extend between the walls of the panels. Typically, a connector mounts over each port opening allowing for connection with the cables.
Such portability of the office walls and the associated office equipment is not without drawbacks. When cables protruding through openings of the furniture walls are routed to other furniture or appliances, strain may be imparted to the wires, adapters, and connectors. Among other reasons, this strain results from the movement of the furniture in relation to the static furniture wall or office equipment. Another drawback arises when one modular furniture wall is moved in relation to the other walls, which causes similar bending strain in the cables, adapters, connectors, and jacks. Without some type of strain relief to eliminate the strain at important points, the bending may cause degradation of the signal or, ultimately, complete failure of the signal. Irreparable damage to the cables, adapters, connectors, and jacks may also result.
The advent of optical fiber cable in offices further compounds the strain problem in conventional and modular furniture systems. The sensitivity of optical fibers to excessive bending parlays the importance of a strain relief device in environments that may subject the cables to increased stresses. Optical fiber cables are particularly sensitive to bending due to the possibility of micro-breaks or complete breaks in the fiber, thereby degrading or disrupting the signal. Cables must not violate a critical bending radius to prevent such damage to the fibers.
These problems are also present in conventional or stationary walls. Such conventional furniture walls now require retrofitting with modern strain relief devices for the relatively new fiber optic cable and, in even in some cases, conventional copper cables. However, there are no known strain relief devices that are easy to use, are easily secured to the cables and mounted to the walls, while providing adequate strain relief for the cables, especially fiber optic cables.